Unto Greater Heights
by Guardian55
Summary: For three years, Hale has been a summoner. For far longer, Sejuani has been a champion. Nevertheless, it wasn't until they were paired together for the last year that they've begun to remember what they were fighting for in the first place in the League of Legends. And now... well, the two of them will begin to even reveal hidden feelings for each other. *A Serious Story/Love Here*
1. The Starting Point

**S****ummon One: "The Simple Starting Point"**

"_Annie. Allow me to explain better what it is exactly that Blitzcrank has analyzed, processed, as well as come up with about you asking about the subject called love between two individuals. Um, he says it's much like how the idea of opposing magnets go. If you try to force the magnets' together, they reject each other outright, right? Well, sometimes, like two magnets finally being given the time to be turned over correctly and magnetized together, no matter where the two lovers in question are, not matter what they're doing, no matter what time it is for them, they occasionally pull through and fall in love. In magnet terms, the couple finally "snaps" together. Get it? Good. Now leave me alone. I have a headache." _**- Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer**

* * *

"Sejuani, Winter's Wrath, this it. Everyone on both sides - our enemy's as well as ours - are gathering in the middle lane for what's going to clearly be the last push of this match. Seeing as we've been building you to be the tank for this entire skirmish, our team is waiting for you to start the charge as well as initiate what's going to be the last, deciding battle. Remember, when the fighting begins, as I've done for the past year, I'll have yours and Bristle's backs. Just charge into the enemy, ignore their own tank, target their frailer members, and I'll shield you with barrier or flash you out of harm's way if things start to go the wrong way for us."

"I hear you, Summoner Hale. Like usual, my fellows want myself and Bristle to start the fighting, hm? They want us to be the first to charge in and see the fear show in our enemies' eyes during their final moments, eh? They want us to shelter them from the coming yet final storm? Well, knowing that you are watching over us, summoner, knowing that you nor we would have it any other way, heh, Bristle and I would be more than happy to be the tip of the spear in what will be our last and successful push of this tedious match. So, let us be off. Let us show everyone the full fury of Freljord's Winter's Wrath."

"Of course. Ah, there's our guys. Yep, like everyone who has been teamed up with us during these skirmishes for the last year, Sejuani, everyone is rallying behind you and Bristle now. Get set to lead the way."

"And why wouldn't they rally behind us? Like how we've proven during the many months in the past up to this point, Bristle as well as myself will be, yet again, the reason victory will be ours today."

"Agreed. Well said, Winter's Wrath. Wait! Hold on. At one of the northwestern wards... Oh no. I can see it! The enemy is going for the Baron beast! It's a last minute if not desperate effort of theirs to try to turn the tables on us! Ugh, if they manage to kill that thing then Cho'gath - all of them, actually - are going to prove to be all that much more difficult to handle! Blah, and this match has gone on long enough without our foes being empowered last second! Sejuani! You need to get everyone to that pit as fast as-"

"Foolish little summoner. Hold your tongue. You had me at the mention of Baron. So, hah, do you honestly think I've been wandering about aimlessly while you've been panicking away in your little summoning chamber? Come now, you've shown over the past year with me that you're better than that. We both are. We do not panic. We conquer."

"Right, right. I was just-"

"Hush. Behold... Bristle has charged, the enemy has scattered, I have claimed the life of the frost archer herself for the very fourth time, and the Baron creature has even been overpowered by our very own forces while you were fret, fret, fretting. Hmf, the monster's power is now ours. As is this skirmish."

"Ah, um, uh... yes. Very well done. Very well done indeed. Should I even dare try to, _ahem_, recommend what your next move should be, Sejuani?"

"Should I recommend that you be silent while I do the, _ahem_, obvious? Truly, Summoner Hale, let me lead the winning charge now, destroy the enemy's headquarters, and put an end to this most tedious thing that has had the pathetic honor of even being called a battle. In the meantime, have your spells at the ready... in case something most unlikely yet miraculously occurs; I'm overpowered."

"Got it. But, Sejuani, just... just don't let that happen. Don't be overpowered or everyone else might be. Even if this is to be the end, as you've been for the last year during every other match we've won, be cunning, be careful. Just **finish **this conflict, okay? I'm sure I'm not the only summoner here who has gotten a miniature migraine from this certain league match. Fortunately, even with migraines, my side is going to be victorious today, in the least."

"Indeed. We are most certainly going to be victorious. And why wouldn't we be? As we've proven during every other match for the last eleven months, myself and Bristle are as ferocious as ever while you... you have been most helpful to our cause, our performance, our conquests."

"Aw, um, thank you, Winter's Wrath. With such a praise, you do me much honor. Still, don't go saying that all of the time to me. If you do, the other summoners will begin to think you've gone a bit... warm in that chilly heart of yours."

"Do not push your luck with me, Summoner Hale. Heh, my patience is limited. Truly, leave talk about my heart out of this. And stop distracting me or perhaps, no matter how unlikely it is at this moment, this win could very well be snatched out of our grasp and I'll have suffered a most humiliating defeat at the hands of ever so glorified Ashe... due to your rambling. Hush now."

"Hushing up on this end. Yep, hushing up... Finished yet?"

"You can see what I can see on this battlefield, can you not? As it will soon enough be since I have arrived to it, have you seen our foes' nexus shatter under my flail yet? NO."

"But you're working at it, right? Yeah, you've got this - Hah! Did Cho'gath just try to nom you? Well, with Jarvan and Kassadin after him now, he's thought that through a second time, hasn't he? Man, how can that bug or whatever get to be that big? How ridiculous."

"Size matters not. No matter how small the warrior, resolution, loyalty, strength, that is what wins feuds, Summoner Hale."

"Yes, you're right. And... we've done it. We've won our eleventh league match in a row for this year! Encore! Bravo for you, Winter's Wrath! Huzzahs all around!"

"No, we haven't won quite yet... One more blow... And there. _Now _it is done. The enemy nexus is no more. Victory is ours, Summoner Hale. Another win for the Winter Claws of Freljord."

"Ha ha, yes! Phew, this battle most certainly proved to be something else entirely but we still pulled through, Sejuani. Excellent work."

"Naturally, we pulled through... And you performed excellently as well. We did very well."

"Hey, give poor Bristle a treat, would you? Better yet, let me give it to him! Oh, yeah, good teamwork on both sides. Well played, well fought, good strategies used by both teams. It was a close match that could have very well been won by either side if done correctly. Regardless of victor, though, the citizens of Runeterra, the fans of the league, the senior summoners, will be talking about this match for a while, everyone. Seriously, well done on both sides. We're going to hear plenty about this in the future. Trust me when I say that for us all."

For the young, peace keeping, as well as very much adored location of Runeterra known as the Institute of War/the headquarters of the League of Legends/the place I've called home for the last eight years of my life, the weekday in question happened to be that most prized if not beloved day where work was just being completed for the week and two days of personal free time were just ahead; Friday.

As for the date as well as time exactly today, with it presently being quite the chilly autumn day but with the sun at its peak in the at least clearer than clear blue heavens above, it was 12:22pm on November 16th of the year 23CLE (Current League Era).

Indeed, nowadays, as it had come to eventually overall be for my mythic homeland of Runeterra since close to around September 24th where the lasting warm winds of the previous summer had decreased in number, the temperature had drastically dropped, the many shaded leaves had dropped from every limb of every tree everywhere, and the daytime hours were now overruled by the nighttime ones, that bitter old man called winter was on everyone's minds.

Yeah, leading up to this certain day of November 16th, the approaching snowy season's frigid presence had gradually grown so obvious that no one - no matter how stubborn or so very positive, like myself - could go on ignoring it anymore. Not if you wanted to dumbly step outside off guard and be immediately, visibly, embarrassingly chilled to the bone in front of everyone, anyway, which wasn't at all wise for, one, your health and, two, your reputation.

Nah, these days, no matter how much everyone wished it wasn't true, especially yours truly, the sun's bright presence was a misleading thing, light clothing was no longer the fad but was being rapidly replaced by heavier outfits, and where leaves had been dancing through the nippy winds for the longest time... snowflakes, blah, would be doing the same soon enough.

As for the obvious truth of the approach of snow in the near future, whether you were a citizen of honor bound Demacia, war seeking Noxus, petite Bandle City, or so on, everyone of every profession everywhere had taken to making the proper not to mention inconvenient preparations to endure the cold. Indeed, like it had forever been every year since the start of all things in existence, until the arrival of the next anticipated spring of 24CLE, farmers had put up their gear, sailors had anchored, traders had grown roots in whatever city they were within, citizens had bundled up, and all armies had dug in, locked down, as well as braced themselves for the first of many snowfalls to befall them in the future.

Yet, if you would permit me to say so here and now, having been a proud citizen of it since my birth twenty-five years, I do not believe there has been or ever will be or is a community as fine as the northeastern City of Progress - techmaturgic Piltover, rival of Zaun - that has so easily adjusted nor even takes as much pleasure in adjusting with the shifting of the four seasons of the year.

Indeed, having experienced much of its convenient not to mention modern comforts firsthand for the longest time before I had become the actual summoner I was today, with its insulated buildings/houses, its gas heating, its plumbing, its advanced, more modernized lifestyle altogether compared to other city-states, the City of Progress had been and still was one of the best places - in my opinion - for any Runeterrian to call home.

Of course, for me these days, not being in the City of Progress any longer, being a master of numerous arts of the arcane, the Institute of War wasn't nor hadn't been bad a place for me to call home either. Yet, with it being the headquarters of the very keepers of the current age of worldwide peace... it was a bit more seriously mannered, kept, run.

I mean, man, if you even sneezed wrong in this place, you could, in the blink of an eye next, find the Sinister Blade trying to find out why you did so with a knife at your throat or perhaps have Malzahar claim that the Void was on its way to consume you for your blunder or even have Dr. Mundo trying to inject you with one of his infamous serums saying it wouldn't make you go into a temporary berserk state like everyone else had suffered from but have it clear up all of your sinus problems within the snap of your fingers.

Hmf, Mundo did what Mundo pleased, eh? Well, not with me nor any smart summoner he didn't. That crazy man could go, um, inject Warwick or Singed with his newest serum and see how it affected them. Unlike me being a professional in runes, magic, summoning, those champions of Noxus and Zaun, being quite bright themselves, clearly had the necessary meds, ingredients, so on, to counter whatever ailment they would suffer from Mundo's ill madness in the meantime.

In fact, excuse me for being so negative about the matter but who had the sense to have anything to do with those crazy, western city states that worshipped war and inhuman research? That had made Ionia suffer so very much back in the day in the name of modernization? Only souls opposite of me, I guess; the insane, the power hungry, the cruel.

Still, heh, look at me drawling on about political nothings now.

Ahem, getting back to the former talk about the current season, where it was so very easy for me - for anyone alive - to understand why summer if not spring or fall were a person's favorite time or season of the year, no one in their right mind in existence had ever said they truthfully adored winter.

I mean, come on, even if you lived or had ever lived in comfy Piltover, why would anyone not touched in the head honestly say they liked a blanket of boring, freezing, snowy whiteness covering everything when spring had always promised rebirth, summer had forever brought comfort, and autumn hadn't ever failed in bringing swirls of color to everything?

Duh. It was common fact that only crazy folk, even summoners, claimed to like old man winter the most out of all of the seasons and even crazier were those certain people whom strolled around these currently chilly days/nights with smiles on their redder than red faces as well as a skip to their stiff step.

Ugh, pitiful, depressing, odder than odd misfits. If they liked snow so very much... then why stay here in the Institute of War/the League of Legends? Why did they not take their weirdness out of sight and go to where it was winter every minute of every day of every month; Freljord?

Now, during my twenty-five years alive and like many others, if it were not plain enough by now, I had never been a fan of the cold or the inconveniences it had ever brought about. To me, summer was my very best friend while winter could take a vacation as well as never come back. As for the northern reaches of Freljord, sure, as I'd read in the books in the past while researching to become the summoner material I was now, the north was obviously magical, miraculous, purely beautiful in its own enchanting way.

Yet, Freljord plainly was and had forever been the embodiment of winter itself. Therefore, with utmost determination, the northern realm had been and still was something I hadn't ever really wanted anything to do with while alive. But, heh, even as a summoner, it eventually turned out that I wouldn't have everything go my way in life; especially in eluding winter's coldness, it would seem.

Clearly, I don't like the _COLD_. Regardless, imagine if you will, ironically during the duration of my third year as an actual summoner of the Institute of War here, that I happened to be permanently paired by the council of highest summoners not to mention the summoning matching powers with... a champion from the Freljord. Yeah, imagine that unexpected outcome for me, right? Should have seen it coming.

Well, if that isn't enough for your mind to wrap around, imagine further that I hadn't gotten adored Ashe or benevolent Anivia or fierce yet loyal Tryndamere or any of the more lovable Freljord champs... but someone else.

Nah, no matter my disbelief, it was in fact somehow fated that during what was to be and had been my third year as a summoner for Runeterra, as a protector of the peace, as a voice for the people - despite my obvious hate in everything chilly - I was and had been linked with... the very Princess of the Winter Claws, the proud Winter's Wrath herself, the fierce competitor for the Freljordian throne, the distant ancestor of fearsome Sister Serylda herself; Sejuani.

Holy gods, right? Like what toes had I stepped on to get into that situation? What god or power or whatever had I enraged to not only get paired with a Freljordian champion but with the most fearsome, independent, coldest one? Say whaaaaat?

But really, hmf, I'm being overly dramatic about this entire matter. No, I really am.

Truly, knowing I couldn't have turned down the pairing when it had been announced to me on February 5th just a bit after Snowdown or risk losing my summoner status, for the past year where I had adapted, learned, even bonded with the Winter's Wrath piece by piece, things hadn't turned out half that bad or as terrible as I'd predicted from the start. No, in fact, out of the three champions I'd had the honor of being partners with since my start as a summoner... I, um, have to secretly say nowadays that Sejuani had proven to be the best if not most successful of champions I'd come to battle alongside of.

I possibly, deep down, hidden away, had even become a fan boy of hers sometime during the partnership. But, ssssssssh, don't go around talking about that delicate business, please. Pretty please. My relationship with the princess of the Winter Claws is odd enough without romance - however unlikely to happen between us - becoming a part of it.

Seriously, during every monthly match we'd competed in - eleven in total thus far, one more to go - Sejuani and I hadn't lost yet. Thus, we, although we'd started our alliance off roughly, stubbornly, we were and had been setting a rare record in the summoner books.

I know what you're thinking, hot shot. I can see your skepticism. Everyone has to lose a battle at least once, right? Well, apparently, not me nor the Winter's Wrath. Not yet, anyhow.

As of today since we'd been bonded together, having just won our eleventh league match on classic Summoner's Rift match minutes ago, myself as well as the princess of the Winter Claws were still undefeated, unbeaten, invincible. And if we could win our last one out of the twelve that was set for December 15th, then that would mean quite a big deal for the both of us.

Indeed, to everyone everywhere, with a record of twelve wins and zero losses, it would definitely mean we were talented amongst others, we were winners to be looked up to, we were conquerors to be feared. Sadly though - sadly for me anyway, I don't know how Sejuani herself felt about the nearing matter - after we had either won or lost our twelfth league match on December 15th, my partnership with the Winter's Wrath would be at an end.

Yeah, as it had always been for the summoners as well as champions of the Institute of War since its establishment twenty three years ago, due to the powers of that which was not only one of the most powerful artifacts within the vault of the researching Majoris Arcanum wing but known as the "Choice Stone", a summoner - for whatever reason, through whatever powers, by the decree of the best summoners - was linked to a new, respective, proper champion after every Snowdown.

In short, for every year, a champion was assigned to a new summoner. Or maybe it was known as the other way around where the summoner was assigned to a champion? Meh, whatever. It worked both ways.

For one year, for twelve matches - a regularly announced match for every month or thirty day period - champions remained linked with the summoners that the Choice Stone selected for them after Snowdown. Why that was the way of the Institute of War, why champions were linked to summoners after such a short if not rapid paced period of time, wasn't something myself or any junior summoner could really explain until we were seniors. It just was the way of things, you know?

Yet, after having been linked with a champion three times now, I kind of already understood the basic reasons for the used methods; why summoners and champions were only given twelve months to work together before having to split up once more.

As it would be in a dire situation like ever being in a Rune War once more, if we were lacking in structure in the future, the year long selections of today barely gave us - summoner as well as champion - the time to really relax, to question each other, to even bond. For the next twelve months, for the twelve battles to come, we just had to learn to trust one another. And through the strife, with such short time at our disposal, we either learned to become the best partners on the battlefield or we just failed our team/died... again and again and again.

Thinking back on the first time I - alongside many other beginners - had been allowed to enter the awesome Hall of Heroes on ceremony where I could see the displays of the League of Legend's champions firsthand, I'd had no clue whom I would be linked to. It could have been freaking anyone, good or bad, you know? As I remember the experience correctly, trembling so bad like my fellow graduated/recruited summoners, I could barely touch the magical Choice Stone before it shined a singular line of red light upon the posing statue of none other than well, heh... my home city's finest enforcer on the case; Vi.

And, again, imagine that. I'd been born in Piltover. And then, for my first year, I was able to repay the kindness, the protection, the good life, it had always given me.

Mind, my resulting partnership with Vi then, complete with many of her signature rocket powered punches, the both of us taking names on the battlefields, me being - although I'd been and still am only a month younger than she - called "kid" repeatedly by her, had been quite the roller coaster ride. Next though, before we had known it, before we had gotten done officially saying goodbye even, although we had felt like we had become practically brother and sister on the Fields of Justice, our year had come to an end. We had to go our separate ways.

Still, I hadn't been destined to remain sad over having lost Vi as a partner for long. Not when I had been gladly assigned to optimistic Sona, the adored Maven of Strings, next, anyway. And for the duration of that next in her company year, that graceful musician - her melodies that had always tugged on everyone's hearts - had gradually helped me see myself, as a summoner, more clearly than ever before.

Being as stiff as board about everything because it had been my very first year not to mention experience as a summoner and I had thought I was about to be evaluated on bloody everything I did, I learned through Vi that I had to slow down, take pleasure in the small things, along with think about myself every once in a while instead of everyone else.

Truly, seeing a she had been a loyal partner to my home city's business like sheriff - Caitlyn - for the longest time, Vi had known aspiring me better than I had known myself on our first day together. In turn, during the year that had passed us by, she'd revealed to me during our year together that life wasn't at all worth living if I was going to continually be so firm about everything. Occasionally, even if I didn't wish to, I needed to have some fun. And, figures, when I had followed that enforcer's advice during my second year, when I had fun as well as easily came to bond with beautiful, respected, and strong Sona, I think I really reached my potential.

For if I hadn't reached my potential... then why wouldn't I have just given up on the idea of working with the Winter's Wrath from the very instant I'd been bonded to her, hm?

As for this coming new year nearly a month away, as for whom I'd be paired with on February 1st, seeing as I was or hopefully was a peaceful, average, humble Piltovian whom believed in the good morals to be had in this life of mine, I expected that my next champion wouldn't be another surprise like grim Sejuani.

Nah, as I'd been blessed with Vi as well as Sona beforehand, my fourth champion was hopefully going to be a welcomed one. Maybe even a guy this time?

I mean, seriously, seeing as they'd all been attractive in their own spunky, glamorous, even tomboyish ways, I had enjoyed being partnered with Vi, Sona, as well as Sejuani. Nevertheless, if I didn't get a guy champion soon - preferably Ezreal or Lee Sin or someone easier going than militaristic Garen or Jarvan IV - summoners were going to begin questioning... my sexuality. Yeah, no matter how truly outrageous the thought, no matter my reputation now, I was going to be the next Taric if I didn't work with a male champion soon.

Wait, hold on, what if got _TARIC _for next year? Oh gods... well, after having been bonded with the Winter's Wrath, I'd be knowing by then that the gods were punishing me for something.

But really, why did I shudder at the thought of being partnered with the Gem Knight? Like all other champions, despite the rumors that swirled around him, I was well aware that he had his strengths, his weaknesses, his fame, even a gentlemanly personality.

Hm, if it really came down to it for me, Taric wasn't or wouldn't be too bad a guy to be partnered with, right? Right... Yes, right! Ugh!

Really, as I'd been coming to bump into her recently, I wouldn't mind in the slightest of being bonded to the Starchild, Soraka. Not only was she exotic, beautiful, always had something motherly to say, she had an inner strength both on and off the battlefield that I as well as many other summoners deeply praised. Plus, seeing as I was someone who had forever enjoyed being helpful to others, what better way was there for me to be beneficial than learn from the Starchild herself in healing magics?

Still, here I am so casually talking about leaving Sejuani like it's not that big of a deal. Shame on me.

I'm a good guy, mind. I'm all for honor, duty, equality, peace, everything good to be had. Therefore, I really don't know how the Winter's Wrath is feeling about it coming up in the near future but... well, at first, naturally, I'm going to at least miss her trademark grimace and Bristle's grunting. For the last year, we truly had done well together, hadn't we? Our feats had been leaving and would go on to leave a mark in the minds of Runeterrians everywhere for many a year to come, anyway.

And that in the end, having made an impression on Runeterra, I knew was what Sejuani had wanted since she'd become a champion back in the day... and through me, she had seemed to have finally gotten that. Correct? Correct.

Hmf, screw it. Screw my pride, my silence. As I definitely knew she felt the same about me deep down in that supposedly cold heart of hers these days, having gotten to know her for the past year, I was proud to have been paired with the Winter's Wrath. We had done better than _GREAT _together! We had brought much fame not to mention honor to the Winter Claws of Freljord! Huzzah!

Hey... wow, uh, hold on a minute. I haven't properly introduced myself yet, have I? Hah! Ha ha, blah, it would seem my parents have always been right about me and my social problems. See, like always, once I get rambling, talking, spouting about nothing all that important, there's just no stopping me until I've made a complete fool of myself as well as realized it! Ha ha, ugh.

Now I need to shut up about the little stuff, take several deep breaths... and tell you who I am as a Runeterrian of mystic today. Brace yourself. Here I go.

Named in honor of the heritage of my father's deceased grandparents, my name is Hale Jepodiah Piketon. As I'm twenty-five years old and will be turning twenty-six on March 23rd, I was born in Piltover two years before the start, the planning, the official making of the Institute of War/League of Legends. And where I had been a student of summoning for five years - 15CLE through 20CLE - before becoming the real deal summoner for these last three, yes, I had witnessed some of the inspired unfolding if not relieving end to the Noxian invasion against Ionia. But that, the invasion, was part of the past now. Nothing for me to spout about when the here and now mattered much more.

All during my former life in Piltover, I'd been told by family as well as friends that I'd been given my mother's simple beauty while keeping my father's decent personality meanwhile. Thus, seeing as my mother really had been and was still a gorgeous woman, I guess I had a certain handsomeness about my face. As for my hair, as it had always been kept during my childhood, it was short, wind swept, browner than brown while my eyes were as supposedly blue as the sapphires randomly found on the shores of Freljord's Ursine's coastal shores.

And I'd also like to put in that although I've had my dad's determined mindset on life for the longest time, although I make a usual practice of working out as much as reading up on things of the past, the present, the future, I don't exactly consider myself physically sharp or even so very special. Nah, I'm just your normal, every day Runeterrian. Or, seeing as everyone considers themselves normal - even, coo-coo, Noxus as well as Zaun - I'm as close as I can get to that, anyhow.

Hale Jepodiah Piketon, even though a summoner, yes, has been and still is your every day Runeterrian. Seriously, even though I might have had the honor of always being called "kid" by Vi during my first year of summoning, even though I can actually say I know Sona and her music better than most due to my second year, even though I've been supporting Sejuani during one of the best winning streaks in league history throughout my third year, I'm as normal as ever. I just do what I do and reap the seen or unforeseen results afterwards.

Simply put, like everyone else of today, I just, heh, _live_.

Moving on, now that you know me inside as well as out, where I've been before being the summoner I am today, the day in question for the Institute of War - again - has proven to be a most nerve racking Friday or November 16th for myself and a collection of summoners. At least until with league match finished, with our minds being put at ease, with our powers being lowered in strength, with our fans who had been watching us on Crystal Screens/Televisions all across Runeterra celebrating, my team had just come out victorious over the opposing force minutes ago.

Indeed, at the start of it all, the long awaited skirmish had actually been unfavorable for my side. Yet, with the proper calls not to mention strategies, with my fellows having even looked to me - supposedly the invincible summoner strategist of this year - for guidance at one point... we had come out on top!

Hooray! Good game! Good fight! Good teamwork for the win!

Indeed, this battle of Summoner's Rift on November 16th had been quite difficult for everyone. In the end, for both sides, although some would disagree with me about it, everyone should have been proud. In the meantime, while I got around to bringing proud Sejuani as well as Bristle back off of Summoner's Rift and to the Institute of War, while myself and my teammates adjusted to being ourselves in the summoning chambers once more, I couldn't keep from glancing at the end results of the just finished match. And what I saw there.. well, it made my stomach flip over itself while my expression stretched into a nervous yet victorious grin.

**Blue Team (Victory): **76/51/127

Sejuani (Summoner Hale): 10/9/45

Jarvan IV (Summoner Isaac): 18/9/7

Kassadin (Summoner Herald): 23/11/15

Sona (Summoner Rebbeca): 0/14/32

Varus (Summoner Zyle): 25/8/28

**Red Team (Defeat): **51/76/92

Cho'Gath (Summoner Varshall): 8/16/25

Nautilus (Summoner Jacob): 11/8/9

Ziggs (Summoner Melodi): 13/13/22

Nami (Summoner Victoria): 3/24/15

Ashe (Summoner Leon): 16/15/21

Again, this match had been poor for my side at the beginning. With Ziggs having dominated Kassadin at mid, with Nautilus having ambushed every lane very effectively early game, the pressure had quickly built up against my team. With myself and Sejuani top lane, we had tirelessly been badgered, tested, along with tormented by good old Cho'gath who had bitten, clawed, along with messed with us all during the match. Truly, if not for the Winter's Wrath's continual slowing capabilities, vicious powers, along with enduring resilience against pain, most any other champion would have been a snack for that freaking bug freak from the void.

Nonetheless, keeping our spirits up, with my teammates asking me for opinions on what to do when our first line of turrets had been reduced to rubble, with Jarvan having spectacularly supported the bot, mid, and especially the top lane as the jungler until both Cho as well as his own summoner had exchanged, ahem, rather colorful not to mention hostile public language that they were going to have to sort out later or risk ending the year pretty badly between themselves, my team had managed to hold the line, build their specialties, then continue winning team fights later until, clearly, we'd just won.

Hooray, excellent ending to good teamwork for my team! Truly, well played, a good effort, a humble loss for our more than worthy enemy.

Look at me, like some golem, reviewing the past again like it needs to be said. Had I not already described to you in great detail if not numerous ways about how my team had won the match of today? About how this was my eleventh straight win alongside Sejuani? Bah, I really need to get out of my studies and talk with others more often than I do or I'm just going to keep embarrassing myself by repeating these nothings.

Anyhow, having gotten done in the tasks of summoning our selected champions from Summoner's Rift back to their proper places at the institute, knowing what was required of us next, my triumphant team gracefully took our leave from the dim summoning chambers and out into the wide, open plaza that awaited us to our left through a set of heavy set double doors. Once out there, handling ourselves with mute formality, we were unsurprisingly met with the sight of hundreds of visiting tourists, fans, fellow summoners, both young and old, who had been allowed to cram inside earlier to see the entire progress of our recently ended match on the largest of large television/crystal screens of the institute.

As planned, as I and every other summoner of the league knew today or had come to learn during our studies in becoming summoners of in the variety of magic schools of Runeterra, we had not shown ourselves from the summoning chambers just now to bask in the praises of our adoring public whom were admiring us for our shown skills at having finished the recent champion battle. No, wordlessly along with purposefully, under the gaze of the powerful, councilor summoners who made up the High Board of Equinity itself, my team and the enemy team had just come out into the open to come together, to shake hands with good spirits along with smiles, and then be allowed through the watching, murmuring, fascinated crowds of onlookers in single file to go our separate ways afterwards.

And after that had been done, after we had been let out into the wintry yet sunny November day, we - as summoners and with it being Friday - were now entitled to now do anything we wanted to do. Yep, until next Monday, myself, my recent teammates and foes back in the match, the summoners of the Institute of War, the majority of the citizens of Runeterra itself, everyone everywhere, was going to enjoy the next two free days - the next free 48 hours - to come.

Hm. To start off the 48 hours I had for myself, would I go find Sejuani on this uplifted day and congratulate her on a job well done in the just ended skirmish? Alas, no. For you see, having done so before in the past to only be brushed aside like I had been some kind of distraction, to go congratulate the princess of the Winter Claws now would be most similar to me ramming my head into the nearest wall instead.

No doubt back with her usual assemble of envoys here at the Institute of War since I had summoned her off of Summoner's Rift at the match's end, the Winter's Wrath knew enough of the obvious without me skipping by saying how well she and Bristle had fought, how fearless they had been, how strong they were. Really, having come to know her for the last year, even if we had been quite a bit more gossipy/friendly to one another than usual during our recent match, I could guess if I went and congratulated her about the just won battle... I'd just might annoy her into having her boar run me down, gore me, then even have me for dinner.

Nah, for my health, for Sejuani's continued patience, it would be best that I play it safe, correct? And to be safe meant to keep my distance from the Winter's Wrath until we were next scheduled to meet together.

So, for the next two days, like we usually had taken to doing with our free time where we weren't forced to meditate, practice, and prepare together for the oncoming league battles, I would go my own way while the Princess of the Winter Claws went hers. It was best that, for now, we gave each other some room to breathe, to relax, to readjust from our most recent win.

Nevertheless, if I was not to spend my next two days with my chosen champion, then what would I be doing? With Ryze, the Rogue Mage, would I go for a hike through the nearby Great Barrier Mountains in search of knowledgeable artifacts? Would I maybe peruse the Institute's Library watched over by Nasus, the Curator of the Sands? Could I by chance teleport home to see my parents not to mention a certain sisterly enforcer too?

Or perhaps I would simply enjoy my free time to the fullest and relax with friends, fellow summoners, the family I'd come to gather up here at the Institute of War since my arrival eight years ago?

Hm, yeah. For the next forty-eight hours, hanging out with what friends I'd accumulated here wasn't a bad idea at all. And, with a snap of my fingers as well as a smile plastered upon my face, I knew just how to start.

I'd find my recent teammate not to mention better friend, Summoner Rebecca Dove. For if I found Rebbeca then I would definitely find Sona and if I found Sona... I could enjoy speaking of the recent match as well as many a thing of the past with her today while also enjoying some of her famous music.

Yeah. Listening to Sona's melodies in the company of good friends. That would be a finer than fine way for me to start my weekend, wouldn't it?

So, without much further ado, bundling myself up against the chilly weather that I hated oh so very much, I picked up my step as well as found out where Summoner Rebecca had gotten to. Yet, as I ran after her, as I got her to stop and wait for me in turn near the western gates leading into the hospitable wing of the institute, I didn't exactly know nor could even guess just how odd the coming days were going to be for me.

No, I couldn't have guessed then - as I caught up with smiling Rebecca and we began to talk about or recently won league battle - that the most improbable of things were about to transpire between myself and the most frigid princess of them all; Sejuani. In fact, instead of keeping to herself like she usually did, how could I have known that as I entered the Institute of War with Sona's summoner... that the princess of the Winter Claws as well as a selection of her finest warriors that made up her party of escorts were currently looking for me?

Well, as I knew I would have liked a warning before it all came crashing down upon me in the near future, you'd best brace yourself, my friend. Alongside Rebecca in the hospitable wing, my free time had just begun then on November 16th at 12:22pm. As for what else was about to come, no matter how unexpected - that which Vi, if there to see it, would have called a roller coaster rider of the most wicked order - that, heh, had just unknowingly begun for me too.

And now, looking back on it all today, I cannot say... that anything of a most terrible nature had come to be when Sejuani had come seeking me on November 16th. Nah, for her own reasons about to be revealed, as she had started looking for me throughout the Institute of War, everything of the best nature had actually started for us both.

All she had to do to get those best things going between us was find elusive, wandering, empty headed me. Nevertheless, her intentions in seeking me out had actually begun to be shown not with me personally but when she'd momentarily stopped by a certain Gem Knight's decorated chambers along the way beforehand to ask of him a certain, respectable, fashionable service he'd always offered to whomever needed him.

Of course, heh, never had the Gem Knight ever expected the Winter's Wrath to ever come visiting him. Like ever. So, imagine his shock when she had stepped inside his quarters before going out of her way to search for me... and had demanded her request for his services be put at the top of his work list. Be it that or suffer her chilly temper afterwards.

* * *

_**End of "The Simple Starting Point"...**_


	2. Gems, Cupcakes, Tibbers! YAY!

**C****hapter Two: "Gems, Cupcakes, Tibbers! YAY!"**

"_Hold up, why are asking me things like what love is, Annie? Aren't you a wee bit, um, young for any of that business, right now? And don't tell me that... Amumu has made any moves or anything on you. Please don't. He hasn't? You're just curious? Well in that case, hm, I suppose it couldn't hurt to at least give you my opinion on how romance occurs. So, think of it like an adventure. Heh heh, yeah. It can just happen anywhere at anytime to anyone. Ha ha, you don't get it? Well, out of the blue someday, you will. You really will." _**- Lux, Lady of Luminosity**

* * *

For the variety of champions of today who had some sort of connection to or even had a permanent residence within the Institute of War/League of Legends, it was and had forever been commonly known by the rest of Runeterra that a few of them were not whom they tried to make themselves out to be. Where some of the fiercest champs had attempted to always appear to be unflinching to everything around them since becoming part of the peacekeeping league, they were in fact something like huge sweethearts with a secret hobby, activity, life, hidden away on the sidelines.

Nevertheless, seeing as they were involved with only, oh, the globally famous institute of summoners, those certain champions' with _secrets _hadn't kept their _secrets _for very long. Nope, not at all with the demands from everyone trying to find out every detail they could about them.

Truly, here were some examples of the past of the lengths sources for fan were willing to go.

As it had been made known by a respectable global newspaper called the "Journal of Justice" back in the day, on several occasions on institute grounds where undercover snapshots had been made from some places isolate, bold Volibear had been seen cutely playing tea with Annie, Amumu, Fizz, along with Tibbers in the gardens. In the institute's kitchens also, bribed by a good sum of gold to spill the beans to the adoring public, cooks had revealed in due time that they'd seen sinister Morganna occasionally giving ruthless Pantheon cooking lessons - _FREAKING COOKING LESSONS_ - where they had especially spent their time on the pie recipes... and even in their private quarters during late night _lessons _or so called.

Still, if there was one gentlemanly champion that had had his personal side life intruded upon the most, brought out into the open, even accepted if not praised by practically everyone everywhere since his inclusion into the League of Legends, Taric was just that champ. And true, no one still knew what realm he hailed from. True, only he could honestly understand how he was so powerful, so patient, so regal. Regardless though, when it came to discussing anything about him nowadays, no one really cared about his enigmatic background as much as they used to. Not when his talent for spotting fashion was a much juicier topic to talk about, anyhow.

No, as it had been for him during the past, Taric was no longer bothered by interviewers, fans, nor rivals about his heritage, his gems, his source of strength. Instead, these days, being quite the popular figure amongst champions and people alike who burdened him with their requests, pleas, as well as demands for his glamorously outrageous skills, he was the handiest not to mention genius owner/stylist/fashion expert of his institute placed but globally known fashion trend, shop, trade; "The Gem of the Morn, Noon, Evening".

Yes, when on whichever Field of Justice, the Gem Knight did his best to be a fearsome adversary to his enemies if not be an enduring support for his allies. Nonetheless, when off of the battlefield, when in his artistic shop, he was a patient business man, a stylist, a competitive seeker of art, but a gentleman above all. Throughout his work, he participating in updating the best accepted styles throughout the realms, impressed all of his customers, bought arts in whatever form of whatever origin to put on display, hosted fashion classes, invested in projects, and so much more.

Put simple and short, Taric was, unlike some, a champ with a good connection to everyone everywhere. In his own ways, he was both a commoner along with noble. He was an equally feared warrior as well as business man.

Ever since he'd arrived at the League of Legends after having learned of its existence, without even having had to try hard, Taric had been at the center of the spotlight without it going to his head. Indeed, when amid fans or summoners or royals or whomever he'd generously given his time to in the past, he'd easily won the hearts of everyone with his good looks, kind words, speeches on the properties of jewels, and definitely when he'd donated his resources/time in researching ancients magics alongside Ryze at one point.

Nevertheless, not really having been a rogue mage himself at the current moment then but more of a master in having a sharp eye for beauteous style, Taric had politely yet eventually removed his efforts from being understanding Ryze's aid and into starting his own side business of artistry; namely his present day shop within the northwestern market district of the Institute of War or that which was entitled, again, the Gem of the Morn, Noon, Evening.

Since its opening, no doubt because of his already built up popularity with folk inside as well as outside of the institute beforehand, peoples from far and wide had gone out of their way to visit and purchase from Taric's artistic store that showed off collections of precious idols, portraits, items, artifacts, and so on. What people everywhere _really _took an interest in at the start, of course, was his craftsmanship in jewelry. That was until they'd learned that he'd helped as well as continued in planning and creating the numerous battle outfits/skins the other champs of the league had come to accumulate for the Fields of Justice.

Getting back onto the present and not the past, as of today on November 16th at 12:22pm, having already been pretty much set for life as a champion of the League of Legends back in the day but now enjoying himself immensely with the entirety of the world clambering over itself to demand for his skills in making trendy jewelry/clothing, Taric was presently if not seriously at work in his fashion store. There, he was meeting with his second not to mention lovely client of the day - the Nine Tailed Fox, Ahri - to begin planning for future meetings, outfitting, along with exchanges with her.

As for who had been Taric's first customer of the day, seated nearby with her unique teddy bear as well as a regal sapphire necklace held close to her chest, Annie watched from the nearby counter with her most curious emerald colored eyes taking everything in around her. In the meantime, to help keep her quiet as he intently worked on the kitsune confidently posing on the usually used wooden plinth, the Dark Child sucked on a candy that the Gem Knight had recently bestowed upon her after having gotten done with her parents' - the Graylocks' - own order; the sapphire necklace in question which she kept close to her chest.

To answer the riddle as to why Ahri was posing quietly on a platform for Taric in his store as he painstakingly adjusted, measured, along with looked her over with a scratch of his head plus many raisings of his sleek eyebrows behind his square spectacles, that could be clarified by what had transpired only a month ago and taken the world by storm.

Indeed, thirty days back while on her free time after having recently won a match, the kitsune of the League of Legends had been visiting Piltover with her summoner; Victoria. There in the benevolent City of Progress during her shopping spree with Victoria, she had happened upon a music studio and then, with splendor, had sung a random bit of hers which had instantly been labeled a classic entitled "Charm'd". And therefore, for the past month since, Charm'd had been repeated on any communication device almost every half hour.

Now, by popular demand, having been generously paid a good amount for his services earlier by her newest sponsors even though he had been more than willing to help when first asked because he was a good friend to everyone, here the Gem Knight was with the Nine Tailed Fox working on what would be her anticipated "Pop Star" outfit. And seeing as whom would be making the said outfit as well as whom would be wearing it afterwards, such a uniform would not only capture the already captured hearts of fans during Ahri's coming Runeterra-wide music tour but most certainly would when she would occasionally be donning it on the Fields of Justice also.

Naturally, already being whom she was as the most enticing kitsune who was or had been trying to find her place in the human world after having done much sin, Ahri had had the same kind of unique luck as Taric in reaching out to the people and getting them to be on her side. Of course, that had been mostly due to her magical, sensual, foxy side reaching out to pluck the very heartstrings of mortals.

Now though, with how things had transpired for her during the past few weeks, as it had turned out that the Gem Knight had had skills for fashion/style, it seemed that the Nine Tailed Fox was - like a certain Maven of Strings - going to have the inspirational gift for song, for melodies, for dancing in the spotlights that would be upon her during the exciting months to come.

Still, as it was hoped by her closest friends - Taric included - all of the attention hopefully wouldn't go to Ahri's head. After having been around for enough years already, it was common knowledge that she had a pretty big ego to begin with. Now, with her rapidly becoming something of a music icon, that ego might just explode if not make her forget where she'd come from, who cared about her, what she really wanted out of life; to be, shall we say, human at last.

Nevertheless, as everyone close to her knew also, especially Wukong, that playful Monkey King, this music tour could very well turn out to be the key to Ahri finding out her long desired purpose during what had been her exotic life. Indeed, while being a pop star icon, she would experience the best of things a human would ever want and maybe in the end... she would feel overwhelmed, homesick, by it all.

Yes, after getting too much attention from the world for the next few months while on tour, she would possibly want to go back to where things as well as people mattered most to her; home. That was hopefully how this was going to end, anyhow.

Regardless, having volunteered himself at once when she'd asked him and very much so when her sponsors had mentioned everything consisting of bananas would be in store for him, it would at least be comforting to know that Wukong would be tagging along with her as her personal bodyguard during her career. Now, if he cloned himself during the coming months as much as he did here at the institute then, phew, there would be a dozen of him keeping the crowds in check at all times.

Getting back to the present, not the future, with the workplace having been firmly silent for the last hour where Ahri had arrived just after lingering Annie had been given her parents' newest sapphire necklace to look at, Taric was showing signs of confusion. Rubbing his cleanly shaved chin while expertly estimating the goddess like figure of the Nine Tailed Fox, he'd glanced away from his current, soon to be pop star customer numerous times to write something down on a notepad or look over the picture of the outfit Ahri had planned out already.

Finally, with her innocent eyes looking very puzzled in the meantime, the Dark Child voiced aloud to her concentrating fellows while actually addressing her teddy, "I don't get it, Mr. Tibbers. Do you? Why is Mr. Taric wanting to make Mrs. Ahri look all different? Isn't she pretty enough already? Doesn't she already make everyone look at her while she walks by?"

No matter how much they tried to afterwards, these sudden statements, these naive questions, couldn't be ignored by either Gem Knight nor the Nine Tailed Fox. No, especially not when they had come from little, adolescent, yet uniquely mature Annie of all people.

So, breaking down at the Dark Child's curious wonderings, having been focused on only their business for the last hour and looking for some way to regroup/recover rather than press on, Taric along with Ahri began laughing aloud in their own glamorous voices. Then, when having some control over themselves, the pair of them humored Annie while she curiously watched them from the counter she was seated upon.

"Ha ha, Annie, despite your age, sometimes... Just, sometimes, I wonder how you know so very much." Taric chuckled to himself, looking to help his graceful, nine tailed customer down from the stand by taking her hand while she stepped delicately along, "Then again, I might not want to know. What is certain is that you are sharp, unpredictable, bright bulb. Maybe a bit too _bright _for your own good at times."

"Oh, don't put her down like that, Taric. Don't act like she will remain so innocent and naive of certain things for the rest of her life." Ahri giggled, giving the Gem Knight an appraising look as well as brush of her tails when he offered his hand to help her step down from the platform she'd been posing upon for so long, "Soon enough, as she just accurately said about me, heh, Annie will be all grown up and everyone - especially the boys - will be watching her go by. Nevertheless, Annie, you sweet thing, don't yourself worry too much. Yes, I'm pretty now but just you wait. With help from Taric here, I'm going to look truly, outrageously fabulous afterwards."

"Indeed." Taric agreed, putting his measuring tape, pad of notes, along with other items, aside as he said so, "I have to admit, considering the pressure, this pop star project is going to be a challenge. But after all of this, you, Nine Tailed Fox, honestly are going to be my masterpiece of masterpieces."

"How very nice of you to say, Gem Knight. Heh, I'm very much looking forward to being your masterpiece of masterpieces then." Ahri admitted in a giggle, her many tails waving quite happily along her elegant spine at the news, "That is if I can last through the coming boring bits of... me posing hours and hours on end for you take your measurements, your adjustments, your predictions. Ugh, if only Wukong was here. He'd know how to keep me entertained while you did what you had to do."

"As I've told every customer of mine in the past, as I told you during your fitting for your Fire Fox battle uniform that year back, we'll make it through this, Ahri. And please, whatever you do, do not invite the Monkey King to attend our meetings. His and your gags will only make the progress of finishing your music tour outfit... that much more strenuous." Taric wearily explained, taking off his spectacles for a minute to rub his regal eyes, "Anyway, first off, let me say that I really do like your idea for your tour outfit already. Still, if you would permit me to make my own add-ons - which I know you will - I'm going to make you truly, truly, truly, outrageously, fabulously-"

"Pretty?" Annie innocently interjected, cuddling with Tibbers once more as the adults burst into a new fit of laughter when she had taken the words right out of the Gem Knight's mouth, "But - but... Tibbers and I still don't get it. Mrs. Ahri, why do you need to change?"

"Oh, I'm not changing permanently, darling." Ahri cooed, rubbing the Dark Child's head as she grinned her beautiful grin, "Just for the tour. All of this time, I've dressed for Ionia because, well, there has been no reason for me not to. Now, though, seeing as I'm going to be touring Piltover, Demacia, Bandle City, wherever I'm needed, I'd like a wardrobe change. I'd like to try something new. Something modernized. Understand now?"

"Um, well... Tibbers?" Annie simply asked of her stuffed bear next, "Do you get it?"

There was a silence afterwards. Then, when the teddy bear seemed to nod on its own but was only doing so because of Annie's hands, the Dark Child cutely answered back to the smiling kitsune, "Fine. We both get it. Most of it, anyway. Heh heh."

"Wonderful. Still, I'm not the only _pretty thing _here it seems." Ahri purred in turn, gently reaching out as well as taking the sapphire gemstone, silver chain necklace from Annie when allowed to, "Taric made your parents this, didn't he, Annie?"

"Yep! It's really pretty, isn't it? Taric did great!" The Dark Child exclaimed, beaming over the Nine Tailed Fox's shoulder at the Gem Knight who returned the smile with his own glamorous one while writing things out on his pad of paper again, "Tibbers really likes it. And if he likes it then it's certain that my mommy and daddy are going to like it too when I give it to them on Snowdown!"

"Ah, right. You'll be going to spend the coming of the new year with your parents, wont you, Annie? That sounds splendid." The Nine Tailed Fox chimed, wondering what it would possibly be like for her to someday have close ones - a family - to spend the duration of her own Snowdown with, "My oh my, look at how grand this sapphire is! Look at the sheen of this silver chain! Well done, Taric! Yes, very well done. Say, do you think you could make me a pair of earrings that look just as good as this? If you could then I bet they'd emphasize my eyes, right?"

"My dearest Nine Tailed Fox. Now you are being truly, truly, truly outrageous." The Gem Knight exclaimed, dropping his work back onto the counter for a moment to scold his foxy customer while holding up a nearby hand mirror for her to look into, "You're worrying about emphasizing your eyes when they're emphasized enough? Honestly, look at those precious gems you call eyes! Even if I wished for Ezreal to bring me back some topaz to match the shade of your irises, he wouldn't ever be successful! They're just THAT good, don't you know?"

"Aw, Taric, you're the best. Heh, you don't say such things to get people to buy your stuff. Nah, you really, seriously, matter of factly mean it, don't you?" Ahri snickered with a flutter of here lightly brown eyes, drawing Taric into a short hug before stating seriously to him next, "But, although my eyes may be precious already, they need to be emphasized more. And your sapphires will do just that! I know it! So hook me up. Add earrings to my outfit, handsome."

"You realize if you add such a thing onto your list, your sponsors might have something to say about it, correct?" The Gem Knight honestly said, trying to remind the kitsune of her financial limits while she returned Annie her parents' silver/sapphire necklace, "Plus, if you want to add earrings onto your list then we might have to go into crunch time. With how your plans for the music tour are going already, we're going to be cutting it close in making you pop star uniform on time-"

"Taric, look at me." The Nine Tailed Fox commanded of the Gem Knight, getting him to look into her enchanting eyes to not charm him with magic but honestly reassure him, "You're worrying way too much over the little things. Without me, the tour couldn't be. Without me, the tour can't be. Thus, without me, the sponsors and music and everything can't be. So, if we have to hold off the tour a bit so you - Mr. Fantastically Capable - can make me look my best with earrings, uniform, dyed hair and tails, so on, then so be it. If I need to wait a bit, the world will too."

Wow. Ahri, the upcoming pop star, was pretty confident with herself being large and in charge already, wasn't she? Well, hm, who could blame her? Ever since the day she'd become humanized rather than stayed as a fox, she'd been in charge of plenty things, eh?

Refocusing back onto the exchange at hand, Taric took a moment to humbly retrieve his notepad, click his pen, write down something on the already large list, then admitted with a chuckle, "How dare I call myself the fashion expert here. As they've always said in business; the customer is always right. So, sapphire earrings it is then, Ahri. And, hah, would you look at that! The addition of earrings really do seem like they'll look good with your already planned outfit."

"Of course they will, silly." Ahri laughed, spinning in place where her tails softly brushed both Taric as well as Annie in their faces, "Everything looks good on me, doesn't it, Annie?"

"Yep!" The Dark Child immediately agreed, holding up Tibbers to add in turn, "And Tibbers thinks you don't look good in everything. Because he thinks you look great! He's always thought so, to be honest."

"Does he really think that of Ahri? Hm, who would have guessed that with how ferocious he can be on the Fields of Justice." The Gem Knight put in, giving the teddy bear a careful look from behind his glasses, "All of the time he's chased you though, Ahri, it would seem it's because he only likes you out of everyone."

"Yeah. That's it." Annie giggled back, making the Nine Tailed Fox laugh aloud with what she had to say next, "Tibbers likes Ahri. He likes people. He doesn't understand why everyone runs. He only wants to play with them. He only wants to give them warm, cuddly bear hugs."

"I'll be sure to remember that in the future then, Annie. Just be sure to remind Tibber's of his strength every once in a while, okay? The reason why most everyone flees his well intended bear hugs is because they tend to be, well, a bit extreme. " Ahri chimed, turning away from the humored Dark Child to approach and even open a certain white box on the other counter nearby, "Anyway, as you remind your teddy, how would you like a cupcake, cupcake?"

"OH, yes! I want a cupcake!" Annie exclaimed, jumping off of the counter to run over to where Ahri was getting out several well done, delicious looking, premium cupcakes from the newly opened white box, "Tibbers too! Don't forget about him!"

"Of course, of course. Tibbers gets one too. And what of you, Taric? Care for a cupcake? They're a gift sent to you from some of my yordle sponsors in Bandle City, after all. You can't say no to a good, fresh, yordle cupcake, right?"

"No, I cannot. Truly, a cupcake delivered to me from the very capitol of the Yordles - the people with the sweetest sweet tooths - is not a treasure I find myself often blessed with." Taric admitted to Ahri as he accepted the delicacy she handed him, "It is a shame though. I've heard during my artsy business that Yordle cupcakes go incredibly well with Freljordian cattle milk. Too bad we do not have any such milk on hand, hm?"

"Oh, don't be such a party pooper, Taric. Yeesh." Ahri thickly pouted at once, showing a pudgy yet adorable grimace to the joking Gem Knight with her cheeks filled with a mouthful of her chocolate cupcake, "Enjoy the moment, please. This is premium stuff we're enjoying here. We're living the high life. Or, I guess, with your trend and all having been so very great in the past to now, you've lived high all of the time. Still, let me enjoy myself, okay? Let me-"

"Mrs. Ahri, Tibbers says you can't talk with you mouth full." Annie interrupted suddenly, giving the humbled Nine Tailed Fox a scolding face, "It's rude to do. No, it's gross. You don't look so pretty when you do it."

"Well said, little one." Taric agreed with Annie, enjoying the feeling of himself as well as the Dark Child ganging up on the now astonished Ahri, "Talking with one's mouth open is indeed rude if not gross. And you plan to be a pop star behaving in such a manner, do you, Ahri?"

"Yep! I sure am!" The kitsune next exclaimed with her mouth still full, beaming a cupcake filled smile at both her tormentors whom appeared to be revolted but in a joking sense, "And guess what? The world will love it! They'll still love me because I'm just so fabulous, aren't I?"

"Whatever you say, Nine Tailed Fox." Taric chuckled to himself, very much enjoying his cupcake as well as company he currently had, "Whatever you say."

"Tibbers still says you shouldn't eat with your mouth full." Annie repeated to the amused kitsune, making the Gem Knight choke on a bit of his treat while he began laughing at her continued seriousness over the matter, "It's not right to do."

"Okay, Annie, okay. I won't talk with my mouth full anymore." Ahri replied brightly, having gulped down her cupcake and was now helping Taric clear his throat by roughly patting him on the back, "I won't talk with my mouth full during the music tour or ever again. Does that sound good? Is that better for you, sweet thing?"

"Oh, I don't mind you talking with you mouth full, Mrs. Ahri." Annie surprisingly said next, only making Taric begin to choke harder than ever at the hilarity of the moment while she explained, "Tibbers is the one who doesn't like it. Me? I love to talk with my mouth full! Nom! Chomp! Shee? Heh heh!"

"Annie, you silly thing you. Stop talking for a moment." The Nine Tailed Fox implored with a snicker, doing her best to slam Taric in the back as he tried to hack up the chunk of delicacy he was fighting to get out of his windpipe, "You're being too funny for the Gem Knight's sake. Let him catch his breath."

Still, even when Annie had stopped her innocently childish remarks, even with Ahri helping him to try to stop from gasping for air and breathe it, Taric seemed to be in real trouble. Soon enough, he was frantically grasping on the Nine tailed Fox who knew what was going on. And although she was a master of magic, the kitsune very well didn't have the means to heal or remove the ailment her outfitter was suffering from! She needed to get him something! Maybe a glass of water? No, she had to get behind him, grab him around the gut, and squeeze as hard as she could!

"Taric! By Ionia, stop choking!" Ahri insisted, feeling quite uncertain as her efforts to get the Gem Knight clear of the apparent danger proved to be in vain time and time again, "Where's a summoner when you need one? You're a healer yourself! Heal yourself then!"

"Blaugh!" Was Taric's painful reply, his face going steadily purple, "Hack, augh, hurgh!"

"oh, right! Your hammer! Your gems! Where are they?!"

"Hurgh, hack, blah, urgh!"

"Oh, by the - I can't very get you your things when you can't speak with a chunk of cupcake throttling you!"

"Mrs. Ahri, why can you give Taric a bear hug but Tibbers can't?" Annie next wondered out of nowhere, not really having a grasp on how critical the situation was becoming, "That's not fair. No, that's not fair at all for my teddy."

"I'm not giving Taric a bear hug, sweet thing!" Ahri insisted, really feeling afraid for Taric now, "I'm trying to - wait... Tibbers! Bear hug! That's it! Annie, sweetest! Have your darling bear give our Gem Knight one of his best bear hugs ever!"

"Hrack?!" Taric exclaimed through his choking, giving Ahri a most alarmed look that didn't show his pain at lack of air but at the idea of being at the mercy of the Dark Child's bear, "Haugh, blaugh, gasp!"

"I'm so, so, so sorry, Taric! Still, that's all I can think of at the moment! You're really in a mess here! Go with it!" Ahri exclaimed, letting the struggling Gem Knight go to stand beside Annie in turn, "Annie, do it! Have Tibbers give Taric a bear hug! Go, go, go!"

"Hear that Tibbers?" Annie laughed aloud, purposefully hugging her teddy before throwing him up into the air, "Playtime! C'mon out and have some fun!"

At the command of "C'mon out and have some fun", halfway back down to the polished floor, as it had done in the past wherever, the Dark Child's teddy in question ignited into the brightest, eeriest, reddest red flame! Then, when impacting with the ground, the art shop itself rumbled as - in the toy bear's place - Tibbers, the actual demon bear aflame and Annie's longtime guardian, fiercely landed on all well muscled fours!

"NO! Don't leave claw marks on my newest oak wood floor!" The Gem Knight meant to say at seeing the flickering demon bear. Yet, instead, incapable of speech and even beginning to lose vision, he muttered, "Hurgh, blah, ugh..."

"Hurry, Annie, hurry!" Ahri encouraged, her tails along with ears flicking in tension at seeing Taric looking rather bad, "Taric's running out of time!"

"Mr. Taric is running out of time? Why?" Annie wondered back, still not in touch with what was really happening, "Tibbers is right there. He won't run out of time for anything. Go on, Tibbers! Give Mr. Taric the biggest, bestest, cuddliest bear hug ever!"

And at that order of him having to give his best of bear hugs, with a rather wicked smile across his stitched like expression if not ominous glint in his blazing eyes, Annie's guardian stumped forth to Taric who - even though wanting to be anywhere but there - could not do anything when he was grabbed from behind around the gut as well as was lifted off of his feet into the air.

Then, while the next moment seemed to last for eternity, while the shop flashed with colors of red from the newly unbound flames, as Ahri tensely watched, as Taric tried to stay conscious, as Tibbers readied himself, Annie laughed in her own cute way, "Heh heh, YAY! BEAR HUG! Get em, Tibbers!"

With a firm yet caring squeeze next that actually surprised the Gem Knight through his pain, Tibber's successfully bear hugged the piece of whatever was lodged in Taric's wind pipe cleanly out! Indeed, when the blazing teddy bear applied the proper pressure, the Gem Knight hacked up the bit of cupcake ailing him! The only problem with him being saved from suffocating was that he violently spat his morsel of delicacy forth... to have it smack straight and true into Ahri's perplexed expression!

"Oh, of course. Hmf." The Nine Tailed Fox fussed, awkwardly wiping the wet bit of Yordle dessert off of her angelic face, "Still, I've had more interesting things than chewed up cupcake shot onto my - Ahem. In the end, seeing as I offered the Gem Knight a cupcake and got him choking on it in the first place, I sort of deserve that, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did. Ugh. Bah." Taric jokingly not to mention hoarsely sighed out to Ahri, feeling quite relieved to have not just died on a bit of foreign imported cupcake in the middle of his store, "Forget the cupcakes, Ahri. You can take them back. Say they're a major risk on my health, okay?"

Then, as he was lowered back to the ground, rubbing his aching throat, the Gem Knight immediately turned about to softly say to blazing Tibbers looming over him, "And you, Tibbers... Look at what you've done to my floor. The shame. Heh, anyway, you may be a bit tall, scary, on fire. Nevertheless, thank you. You're a good bear. It would seem you give out very good bear hugs, after all, don't you?"

"Tibbers _does _give the best hugs, Mr. Taric! And about him being good, he already knew that." Annie laughed, having her fiery guardian stump back to her side where he shrank back into his teddy bear form and then she tightly hugged him back to her chest last, "He's always been my best friend in the world. He's always been the best of bears. And he'll always stay that way! Yes you will, Tibbers! Yes, you will, will, will!"

It was as Ahri was assisting Taric to sit down on the closest velvet sofa next, it was as he gained the nerve to not eat but nibble on another yordle made cupcake in the meantime he recovered from his previous experience, that Annie's carefree demeanor abruptly diminished. Indeed, in the background while the Nine Tailed Fox cared for the Gem Knight, the Dark Child began to look more and more nervous over something. She took to peeking around in no order, to whispering to Tibbers, to even jumping as well as running to her fellows when there was a hard series of knocks at the front door.

"Uh oh, Tibbers." Annie muttered to her teddy while climbing onto the sofa, audible enough for curious Taric as well as Ahri to hear too, "Someone is here... Things are about to get a little _chilly_, aren't they? Don't worry though. I'll keep you warm, okay? Okay."

In turn, while Annie hugged Tibbers close to her, the Gem Knight along with Nine Tailed Fox exchanged bewildered glances as well as shrugs. Nonetheless, even when afraid of whatever at the moment, how very random yet adorable the Dark Child could be, right? Truly, since her coming into the League of Legends at her fabled parents' behest of the summoners, it was no real shock why little, innocent, yet intelligent Annie had accumulated so much fan/summoner worship over time.

Still, having been relaxed only a moment ago, what could have made Annie become so suddenly jumpy? Did she already have a good idea of who was knocking on the shop's front door before, with a sweeping aside of her many tails, Ahri actually opened it up to see who had come visiting? Had she predicted beforehand that Taric would have another near heart attack during his nibbling on his cupcake when the Nine Tailed Fox loudly announced who had come a knocking by exclaiming the most unexpected visitor's name?

"Ah, uh, um, Sejuani?! The kitsune uncertainly rambled over herself after having opened the store's door to find that the Winter's Wrath herself, grimly dressed in full battle gear, had been the one knocking, "Hey, what's going on, sweetness?"

* * *

_**End of "Gems, Cupcakes, Tibbers! YAY!"...**_


	3. Wait, Say What?

**C****hapter Three: "Wait, Say What?"**

"_What in Runeterra are you doing out on the institute training grounds, Annie? Be glad that I didn't cut you when I didn't see you just now! What? You're going about wondering about... love? Bah, I must insist that you seek the sidelines and leave me to my businesses without asking such ridiculous things! Off with you now! Off! And yet... here you still are. Ugh, hmf, love is like a duel. Yes, it's in fact the hardest one in the world. If someone wins it then they earn the best reward in the world. If they lose, however, most don't try again for a long time. Me? Have I tried this certain duel? I... I might have at some point in time. Did I win? Too many questions! Be gone with you! Shoo! Shoo!" _**- Fiora, the Grand Duelist**

* * *

"Sejuani, what a most unexpected yet fabulous surprise! What would you be doing here, hm?" Ahri went on cutely babbling to the most unexpected not to mention uninterested customer of the Gem of the Morn, Noon, Evening, observing in the meantime that the Winter's Wrath stood not only with another Freljordian woman at her side but with what looked to be a full escort of supplied Winter Claw warriors behind her in the street, "And you've brought company. Mm, good company with muscle too. Wait, if you're here, are you, ahem, looking for Taric, perhaps?"

"What am I doing here? You do not see me asking you that question, do you, fox?" The Princess of the Winter Claws sternly replied, her voice carrying a hint of harshness in it like the winds of Freljord carried a chill, "As your business is yours to mind, my own reason for being here is mine alone. Now, as expected from us all, stand aside so that I may enter."

"Stand aside? Your reason for being here is your own? Oh, don't be like that, Sej. Don't be ever so elusive." Ahri giggled, not moving aside for the newest visitor but playfully leaning into the opposite side of the doorframe so that her angelic form not to mention tails were more on display for the nearby warriors who seemed to be taken in by her actions at once, "Do you want me to explain why I'm here? Is that it? Is this a game we're playing? Fine. So be it. If I tell you why I'm here... then you have to do the same. Okay?"

"Fox, you're being as sly as ever. I am not interested in the reason for why you are here. You know that." Sejuani firmly stated, a reluctant yet humored smile showing for second while she removed her helmet to hold it under her armored arm as well as let her bundled, pale, silvery-white hair freely fall unto her pauldroned shoulders in turn, "Now, remove yourself. Stand aside before I have to make you-"

"Why am I here you ask? Oh, I'm only having Taric, the best of the best stylists in Runeterra, help me in getting ready for my upcoming music tour." The kitsune cut across the princess of the Winter Claws abruptly, taking a sudden interest in the condition of her fingernails which she held right up in front of her in her grim fellow's face, "That's right, Sejuani. Soon enough, after Taric has suited me up appropriately, I'm going to be a pop star traveling abroad! Like I've always been, it's going to be awesome!"

"Fox, I do not care nor do I have the time for your games-"

"Say, do you think I should tour Freljord?!" Ahri suddenly exclaimed, being loud enough for the awaiting Winter Claw warriors observe her whip her tails about adorably, "Would your ever so rough, tough warriors enjoy my singing, hm?"

At Ahri's request of if she should travel the north - even Winter Claw territory - there was a silence between everyone. In the meantime, while Annie was keeping to herself along with Tibbers, Taric was trying to compose himself from his recent choking episode in his shop to meet with he whom he'd never thought to have as a customer; the very isolate, stern, proud Winter's Wrath.

Finally, it was when the Gem Knight came to relieve Ahri from acting as host that Sejuani turned to the maiden accompanying her to say to her in her own curious yet joking manner, "Ingrid... Tell me. If she were to join us in the frigid reaches of our homeland, would you perhaps enjoy the music of this many tailed fox?"

The young, icy blue eyed, red haired, Freljordian woman with Sejuani, "Ingrid", gave Ahri a few moments of her time by blankly looking her over. Then, to the kitsune's amusement, Ingrid said to her as well as the Winter's Wrath, "Milady Sejuani, would I enjoy this, um, fox's music? That would all depend on if she could even make it all the way out to the Winter Claws without freezing to death."

"Cold to the bone aren't you, you Freljordians. Boring than porridge, porridge, porridge." Ahri snickered to Sejuani as the princess of the Winter Claws smirked at Ingrid's answer, "Still, I'm no stranger to having a hard time in getting what I want, Sej. And, trust me, I'm good at getting what I want. Observe."

At saying she was good at getting what she wanted, the kitsune of the League of Legends seductively waved her hands along with tails at Sejuani's escorts whom tried to but failed at keeping their composure in their leader's eyes. One even had the nerve to wave back a bit before his fellows cuffed him upside his helmed head.

"Hah, trained for everything, are they?" Ahri giggled, turning back to the unamused Winter's Wrath, "Not for me, obviously. And who would have guessed, right? That's just the kind of charm I have on everyone. Anyway, until you tell me what is you and your sweet thing of a girl friend are doing here, Sejuani, I'm not budging an inch from this doorway - OH, Taric! Blah, you're no fun! No one in this place is!"

"Excuse the troublesome fox, miladies." Taric quickly apologized to his newest Freljordian customers, dragging disappointed Ahri out of their way by the arm meanwhile, "She tends to get a bit overexcited on occasion. And who can blame her, right? First, she has a hit single in Piltover. Second, she's going on a sponsored music tour across Runeterra? My oh my, the excitement has even got me all giddy!"

"You, Taric? Giddy? Why do I find that so hard to believe?" Sejuani commented, entering the store with Ingrid closely following behind her, gesturing for her idiot warrior escorts to stay outside or risk being played with Ahri more, "Oh, yes, because you were one of the more refined, calm, focused champions on the Fields of Justice that I've had the honor of fighting beside. Truly, back in September, I would have fallen many a time in battle if it had not been for your constant gem magic as well as critical moment heals."

"Ah, uh, um," Taric babbled over himself, taken a bit off guard by the kind words, "you do me honor, Sejuani. Thank you."

Coming from the Winter's Wrath, this sudden praise seemed to somewhat take the Gem Knight completely by surprise. Not only him but Ahri as well. Really, where she was supposedly so very cold about everything outside of her domain, who would have guessed during their first business transaction that Sejuani would begin by saying something good about Taric? Well, believable or not, it appeared to have just happened, hadn't it?

"Was that fight back in September, Sejuani?" Taric wondered for a moment next before exclaiming ahead of his frigid customer, "Ah, yes! Yes, it had been then, hadn't it? Yeah. Well, it was either I kept you going or, ha ha, have that witch - Elise - try to wrap me up in her, ick, webs next. Still, despite the webs, yourself and that boar just kept going, didn't you? You led our forces to victory every time."

"And you kept us energized the entire time. Truly, our ice easily won over those webs every time due to your support, Gem Knight."

"Hm, yes, that had been a splendid match for both myself and Summoner Dominic. I must say, we wish we had had you on our side again during this past match on November 10th. Indeed, we came close to victory... but not close enough. Just couldn't keep Warwick from charging in every time, you know?"

"Ah, yes, Warwick. That foolish mutt of a man." Sejuani sighed, showing a bit of impatience at the mention of the Blood Hunter, "I and my own summoner have had our dealings with that moron of a werewolf. As soon as he scents blood... there is no keeping him in line. Be it champion or summoner, he takes off after whomever he smells. And then, on his head, mostly falls into a trap or such."

Moving on form the conversation of past matches, after he'd given pouting Ahri nearby a look that suggested she let him take over the unfolding situation while he closed the shop's front door behind him, Taric charmingly asked of his Freljordian guests, "But the past is the past, is it not, Sejuani and Ingrid, correct? Ah, yes, good. A pleasure to meet you, miss."

Quite honestly, as he looked over his newest Freljordian guests, Taric was having quite a good time. More than enough, he'd been visited by Avarosan - especially Queen Ashe and King Tryndamere - during his past transactions. Yet, this was a first for him in dealing with the usually isolate Winter Claws. Unable to keep his artistic talents from overwhelming him during this rare chance, he had even begun to rapidly jot down critical notes about Winter Claw fashion upon his notepad in hand.

Looking over patient Sejuani, even though firmly built from years of training, battling, conquering, she was a precious beauty for Taric to behold in his shop. Truly, her solid assortment of armor - her iron made chest plate, her true ice enforced armguards, shoulder guards, one horned helm, her fur covered boots of leather, all reinforced by an under layer of brownish cotton garments - spelled out one thing; boldness, intimidation, domination. Men would not ever look down upon her when was suited in such an outfit. They would be looking up to her.

Next, knowing he was running out of time to get what notes he wanted from his waiting guests, Taric also took in that, although not as burdened as the Winter's Wrath in clothing, newly introduced Ingrid still had a certain, exotic, nomadic beauty about her. And that was quite great to him because, to fend off the cold weather outside, she was only adorned in a simple made, heavy fur tunic, hood, pants, gloves, along with boots.

"If only I could see Sejuani's gentleman escorts outside. Drat." Taric mumbled to himself in disappointment before finishing up on his notes, lowering the notepad from his eyes, and addressing his guests at hand while adjusting his glasses, "Ahem. Forgive my rudeness. Just business is business. Anyway, ladies, what brings you here to my humble abode? What I can do for you, hm?"

"You may begin by telling me that you will take my coming request for your talents in fashion working and put it at the top of your list, Gem Knight." Sejuani stated at once, snapping her fingers where Ingrid handed Taric a parcel of parchment in turn, "Truly, I have heard of your feats in styling in the past. Now, I come to you in high hopes for your skills."

"And, um, you wish for me to drop _everything _on my to do week after week long list..." The Gem Knight wondered aloud, receiving the collection of parchment from Ingrid to begin going through it, pushing away Ahri when she tried to peek over his shoulder, "For a... dress?"

"A DRESS?!" Ahri exclaimed, her ears along with tails flicking frantically at the blunder on Taric's part whom slapped a hand of his on her loud mouth, not at all being able to see the princess of the Winter Claws in such a garment ever, "Sej, you're looking to - Mmf!"

"Hush, fox." The Gem Knight lectured, smiling an apologetic smile to the understanding Winter's Wrath meanwhile, "A dress just for you, Sejuani? That is most surprising. The best kind, mind. Hm, yet, that is something you as well as I cannot just do on cue at the snap of even your fingers. I have meetings, clients, trips to uphold in the next-"

"Gem Knight, I did not come unprepared for this situation. I know that this sudden. I know of the constant requests for your skills for art making." The Winter's Wrath explained, snapping her fingers once more so that Ingrid next revealed a pocket sized box for her mistress to take, "Thus, I do have a more than compatible payment ahead of time to encourage you to put my project ahead of the others. I assure you that these _True Ice Sapphires _- native only to the ursines' shores - will more than make up for your having to set aside some projects to appease me here and now."

Indeed, as Taric accepted the newly shown, pocket sized box from Sejuani while exchanging a curious glance with Ahri at the mention of True Ice Sapphires - one of the rarest, fairest, purest forms of gems to be had from anywhere in Runeterra today - he took off his glasses and brought out an inspection, magnifying monocle from his tunic's chest pocket. Next, when he opened the box in his hands to in fact find as well as pluck out one of the littlest beads of mesmerizing blue stones that gave off hints of nipping chill, he looked back to the Winter's Wrath to say politely to her.

"Forgive my shrewdness over this situation, Sejuani. I hope you understand that I have to inspect this. It's not that I don't trust you or think these as fakes. This is just how business goes. Of course, it's also that we're discussing the possible trade of True Ice Sapphires of Freljord. Gems rarer than rare on the face of the this realm, collected by the finest collectors, hunted by the best hunters, bought by the richest of us all."

"Then be happy, Taric. Those gems are indeed a true treasure of Freljord. Better yet, they are a common find for my people if not an item we trade for with the ursine of Volibear." Sejuani proclaimed, sweeping a bit of her bangs out of her icy eyes, "You'll not find a bit of falseness about my gift from myself and the Winter Claws to you on this day, Gem Knight. Go ahead. Look those jewels over. Then begin to work on my project if you would."

Where Taric slowly looked over the sapphire in his hands and kept Sejuani's parcel of parchment - her plan for some kind of dress - under his right arm, a long pause transpired. Then, after he showed a bit of shock, after he had turned the blue stone in his hands over a repeated three times, he put the jewel back into the box before ever so halfhearted handing it back to a most puzzled Winter's Wrath.

Next, with an unsure yet humble glint in his eyes, Taric explained to his baffled Freljordian visitors, "Hm, those are indeed the real deal True Ice Sapphires. I am honored that you would value my services so much that you would trade such precious gems of Freljord to get me to work upon your task first, Sejuani. Yet... I cannot just set aside my other customers, ladies. You will need to set an appointment for the future."

"Oh, do not be so stubborn, Gem Knight! As you were for me on the battlefield, be supportive of my cause!" Sejuani instantly exclaimed, recollecting herself after her outburst to go on more coolly, "Again, I know my coming here is sudden. Yet, I have come because this is a matter of utmost urgency. Look at the parcel again. Look at my request. If you give it your full attention now, with your skills, I would hope you would be able to complete it by dusk today."

"By dusk today? Sejuani, I'm gifted at style but not a miracle worker." The Gem Knight replied, feeling quite a bit taken aback by both the urgency of the situation coming to be revealed as well as hear Sejuani perhaps pleading with him a bit right now, "Your project, it - it will just have to wait. I am very sorry but that is business. Even if you offer me True Ice Sapphires, if I were to set aside Ahri's project and start on yours instead then my reputation for business would always be put at risk in the future."

"Sir Taric, please," Ingrid suddenly voiced, looking a bit worried over how things were going when everyone turned to her, "milady Sejuani needs your valuable services so that she could celebrate today's match's victory with-"

"Ingrid, hush!" The Princess of the Winter Claws growled over her fellow, now showing a dangerous glint in her eyes while everyone else had registered what little bit had been revealed, "By the Freljord, Taric... The one time I come to you for some of your expertise and you would send me back out the door in disappointment? Come now. Accept my gift to you. By dusk, you will be done with my request and you will not have to speak with me again and you will still have plenty of time for the fox's pet project-"

"Mrs. Sejuani?" Annie suddenly piped up, having gotten off of the sofa without anyone knowing and now tugging on the Winter's Wrath's armored, furred vest, "Tibbers wants to know what's wrong. He wants to know why you're so very eager to be ahead of Mrs. Ahri?"

"Yes." Ahri chimed in at the Dark Child's innocent words, ignoring Taric's disapproving look to not get involved, "Tell us all, Sej, why are you so very brazen to come here, act rudely towards me, and then demand Taric forget my music tour to have him work on something of yours, hm? And have him work on a dress, no less? Heh, come on, spill the beans already. What's going on here?"

"My reasons are my own, fox!" Sejuani snarled back, getting Annie to stop tugging on her armored vest by actually gently grabbing her little hand in her gloved one, "Privacy is a part of business, is it not, Gem Knight?"

When Taric immediately nodded before Ahri could cuff him good to keep him from ruining her fun, the Winter's Wrath boldly declared, "Then I will not have anyone but the Gem Knight knowing why I demand he focus on my request first! End of story!"

"No, wrong. Not end of story." Ahri replied cutely, not at all being rejected by Sejuani's growing defensiveness but getting several yordle cupcakes to offer to her along with Ingrid instead, "Privacy is for losers, Sej. Here, both of you, have a cupcake. It's on me. Now, if we're going to talk about the ways of business, then let's try this; I'll let you go ahead of me IF... you explain as to why you need ahead of me so bad."

"Ahri, that's not-" Taric began but was silenced by the kitsune brushing him the face repeatedly with her tails, "No, stop that! Stop or - achoo! Enough of - achoo! Darn it, fox, you know that I can't - achoo, achoo, achoo!"

For a moment, while the Gem Knight was having a sneezing fit due to the Nine Tailed Fox, at having been offered that she could be first on Taric's to do list if only she said what was one her mid, Sejuani looked grimly over the cupcake in her hands for several moments. And, man alive, just by how her eyes seemed so bright, judging by her firmly set face, it really looked like she was being eaten up on the inside over whether or not to just go with the moment and open up about what was going on.

When seeing her looking so torn between what to do or how to proceed in getting what definitely wanted, no one in the room could deny now that they were so very eager to know why it was that Sejuani wanted the Gem Knight to start work on her dress immediately.

And what on Runeterra did she need a dress for? Had she not done everything in her battle armor beforehand? Had she never complained about being suited for battle every minute of every day? So why - just why - did she need a dress all of a sudden? And have it done before dusk today? Where was the fire? Wait, what had Ingrid said earlier? Something about a celebration over the match of today? Had she had a match and won then? Was she partying with her tribe? No, it couldn't just be them. Like usual, she would do so with her armor on or in a usual garment expected of Winter Claws.

So many questions... without answers. What was the princess of the Winter Claws thinking in that conflicted mind of hers? Why did she suddenly care about getting a dress from Taric for tonight's celebration when she had been so very comfortable with herself wearing her armor everywhere at everything in the past?

Then, to everyone's shock if not disappointment, Sejuani threw her cupcake onto the floor, obviously showing she wasn't going to open up!

Next, she hissed with much annoyance if not maybe distress glowing in her eyes, "Enough of this! I will go on with tonight without your help, Taric. Truly, thank you for your time. Ingrid, we no longer need to be here."

Yet, when Sejuani flung open the front door and marched outside, she - unlike everyone else - hadn't noticed that Ingrid wasn't following her. Instead, the red haired Freljordian had approached Ahri to stand face to face with her.

"Ingrid?" Sejuani wondered aloud from outside, the sound of her footsteps suddenly rapidly coming back towards the shop from outside, "Ingrid, don't you dare! Don't you say anything-"

"Milady Sejuani wants ahead of you, sneaky fox," Ingrid burst out in the baffled Nine Tailed Fox's face next, finishing most of what needed saying before the Winter's Wrath could keep her from it by running back inside to cover her mouth, "so that she could look her best when she celebrates today's hard won match victory with Summoner Hale at dusk - Mmf!"

Silence. Dead silence. That was all that could be heard in the room as Sejuani - keeping her hand clamped over her nervous fellow Freljordian's mouth - glared daggers into Ingrid's very soul. Yet, despite her shown fury, despite her humiliation at what had just been said, very deep down, the Winter's Wrath had actually appreciated that her companion - a childhood friend even - had just disobeyed her orders about not say anything about their reason for having shown up.

Ugh, yes, she appreciated that Ingrid had said what had needed to be... said. Even if it had been in front of the queen of gossip, Ahri, anyhow. As for her reason of being in Taric's store, Sejuani had come to him for a dress to be made so that she could look good for whom had been her summoner for the last year - Hale Jepodiah Piketon - at the celebration dinner she would be inviting him to after she found him later.

After he had endured her, after all, after he had helped her win every match this year thus far, Summoner Hale deserved no less than a celebratory dinner with her people, correct? He also deserved to not see her in her armor then but in something more, well, modernized, right?

"Mrs. Sejuani, you have a special someone you want to celebrate with at dusk? Summoner Hale?" Annie wondered from below, suddenly cutting into the Winter's Wraths thoughts.

Again, there was dead silence.

Then, removing her hand from over Ingrid's uncertain grimace, the Princess of the Winter Claws hissed while trying to keep her dignity intact, "Indeed. That is... correct."

"OH, BY MY TAILS! WOW! I knew it! I knew right from seeing you that something was up!" Ahri screamed, making Taric wrestle out of her grip and cover his ears in pain at her shrill outcry, "Sej has a special someone?! Oh, this is just too adorable! Who is it?! Who, who, who?!"

"Ahri," Taric groaned, noticing the slightly embarrassed expression on the Winter's Wrath at the Nine Tailed Fox's antics, "you might be jumping to conclusions. Honestly, calm down and think. For champions and summoners, celebration is a normal thing. Don't make such a big deal about it. It's not like-"

"Oh, blah, Taric! You can be so boring sometimes, you know? You can be so slow!" Ahri responded quickly, not at all slowing in being excited over the situation, "Look at those eyes Sej is showing us now! Look at her being all coy! When did Hale get your heart all in a knot, Sejuani? Come on, come on, come on! Tell us! Pwease?"

"I... Would rather keep that to myself at the moment, fox." The Winter's Wrath softly replied, awkwardly if not uncharacteristically looking away as the Nine Tailed Fox jumped up and down in front of her, "_I _have... No, _Ingrid _has revealed more than enough of the reason for my eagerness in wanting to be ahead of you. She has clarified why I feel I must be at the top of your to do list, Gem Knight. There you have it. I wish to look good for my celebration."

"Aw ha ha, yeah! True love is in the air for Sejuani! Can you believe it, Taric?" Ahri continued to yell, jumping onto Taric in turn who tried to keep his ears covered while she went on squealing, "Wukong! Oh, hah, wait until he hears about this-"

"NO!" Sejuani immediately snarled, slamming her foot down onto the floor and gaining the attention of everyone in turn, "No, unless it is I who does so, you will not breathe a word of this to anyone anywhere at anytime after this! The deal was that I tell you why I need ahead of you, fox! That doesn't give you the right to make it public! What has been said here stays here!"

"Aw, Sej, why? Why do you have to be so very boring?" Ahri whined, her tails along with ears drooping at the news that she wouldn't be able to go around talking about Sejuani's love life, "Wukong and I know how to keep a secret. Can't I at least tell him? Wait, does Hale know about you wanting to look good for him? Have you even invited him to the dinner?"

When dead silence answered the kitsune's query, even Taric had to show his surprise at the situation. First, seeing as to how nervous Sejuani was looking at the every mention of Summoner Hale, it seemed this dinner at dusk was going to be her first actual kind of try of making a pass at him or hinting about her now apparent feelings. Second, she hadn't invited him to the dinner yet? When had it been arranged? Today? Um, yes. It had actually been made up just after the Winter's Wrath had won her eleventh match in a row. It was THAT kind of last minute thing.

"So, let me get this straight, sweet thing." Ahri adorably cooed, putting a hand to her cheek while also beaming at the quiet princess of the Winter Claws as Ingrid comforted her highness, "This really is how it looks, right? Summoner Hale has got you or has had you by the heartstrings for a while. Yet, with how you're acting, you haven't said anything about it until tonight rolls around and you're now worrying over if he even feels the same way, correct? You're wondering if all of this work is going to be worthwhile, yes? Oh, YEE, this is just too cute! I'm not so sure I can... keep this to myself! It's just too cute-"

"No." The Dark Child actually said for the Winter's Wrath, now making everyone focus onto her next as she scolded the kitsune, "No, Mrs. Ahri, you're being mean. Mrs. Sejuani told you her secret and now you have to keep it secret. Also, you have to go by what you said."

"Oh? And what was it I said?"

"You said that you'd be willing to exchange your place on my list with Sejuani's if she explained herself." Taric patiently cut in, removing himself from Ahri's grip as he spoke to her, "And seeing as she's held that part of your bargain, you would do well to honor your own end, Ahri."

"OF COURSE! Duh!" Ahri squealed, actually tackling Sejuani in a hug before jumping off of her at the same time, "Sej, all you had to say when showing up was that you were here to get ready for a dinner date! Hah, in the name of romance, don't let me stop you! Go get Summoner Hale! Oh and also, seeing as you're offering Taric True Ice Sapphires, that makes me want to let you go ahead of me all the more!"

"It does?" Sejuani wondered at this, "Why?"

"Mm, you and those sapphires showed up at just the right time." Ahri giggled, tapping her sharp ears next, "Me and Taric were just going over how silver/sapphire earrings would go with my pop star outfit as well as make my eyes stand out before your arrival. Now that you'll be supplying him with the bluest of blue gems, Taric will most definitely make me look my best for my fans! Yes!"

"Then... we are in agreement over this matter?" Sejuani questioned, brightening quite a bit on the inside when hearing she could be ahead of Ahri for numerous reasons, "I may go ahead of you, fox?"

"Of course, of course!" Ahri snickered, actually taking the Winter's Wrath's right hand into both of hers to vigorously shake it meanwhile, "But, of course, you'll have to say hi to Summoner Hale for me at dusk before you make your big move. Oh and you have to be nicer to me in the future. Jot that down on your list too."

"I... I will see to it then. You have my... thanks, fox."

At being thanked, Ahri stopped for a moment to look back over her shoulder at Taric to say to him meekly, her tails and ears down in concern, "Surprising. Did Sejuani... just thank me? I heard that right?"

"It's not so uncommon a thing as you think, fox." Ingrid interjected, earning a smile from her princess next, "But as for surprises, she is filled to the brim with them."

"Hm, then we are in business, ladies. And in business, time is of the essence." Taric said next, tapping his spectacles knowingly, "If I am to be done at dusk then we must solidify this deal and let me get to work at once. Sejuani, with Ahri's momentary withdrawal from my list, in exchange for the True Ice Sapphires, I will get to work on your project immediately. You have my word."

"Of course. I know you will get it done, Gem Knight. Otherwise, I would not be here to begin with." Sejuani agreed, having Ingrid step forward with the box of sapphires to hand them over once more, "In my place for outfitting, Ingrid will be helping you with the measuring, adjusting, and how my request for tonight shall go. As for supplies for my dress, my men outside have what you will need."

"You mean to say you will not be sticking around for your own project?" Ahri wondered, her ears along with tail alert at this, "Where is it you will be going now? Oh, right, to find that special someone of yours, hm? You're off to have Bristle smell down Summoner Hale?"

"What I intend to do has been more than revealed enough to you, fox." The Winter's Wrath actually humorously stated back, replacing her helmet upon her silver haired head in the meantime, "True, you have my thanks for letting me go ahead of you... Nevertheless, we are done discussing things. And all of you will not - I repeat - you will NOT breathe a word of what has happened in this room to anyone. Without your help, it will come out all on its own. Understand?"

When everyone had agreed with her statement that this meeting stay private between them, Sejuani nodded a curt nod to Taric who did the same in reply, placed a hand upon Ingrid's shoulder while they exchanged an understanding along with thankful stare about how this situation had ended, and then she'd departed out of the shop with a certain purpose in her step. Moments later, her Winter Claw warrior escorts entered the shop. In turn, as they handed the dress supplies over to the Gem Knight, they constantly averted their eyes from the foxy goddess innocently yet not so innocently beaming at them the entire time.

"Oh, boys, no need to be shy." The kitsune chimed, having her tails wave to and fro in an entrancing manner, "You're the kind of guys I like. You play hard to get... and most likely play _hard _in everything else. Heh, right?"

"Ahri, stop. Knock that off." Taric exclaimed, clapping his hands hard to snap the Winter Claw warriors in question out of their perverted thoughts next, "Not in my shop you don't! Gentleman, grasp your senses. You've done your jobs. Now, ahem, leave... Before I have to drag you out."

Once the Princess of the Winter Claws' warriors had closed the door behind them rather speedily to avoid Ahri's continued teasing, with one practically dragging the other behind him, Taric instantly got to work placing Ingrid on the platform, listening to her advice, looking over the Winter Wrath's Project, breaking out the Freljordian materials, and enjoying himself.

"No talking about Sejuani's special someone to anyone outside of this room?" Ahri huffed to herself for everyone to hear, lying flat on her back with Annie watching her from the free end, "Blah, no fair. No fair at all. Still, Summoner Hale is bound... for a rocky ride."

Ingrid looked absolutely bewildered when the Nine Tailed Fox literally asked of her, "Hey, Ingrid, right? Tell me when your mistress got her heart set on Summoner Hale. When did he actually warm up that supposedly icy heart of hers, hm?"

"That's enough, Ahri. Come on." Taric said back in Ingrid's stead, taking a moment to leave his work and retrieve the box of True Ice Sapphires to hand to the restless kitsune, "Here. Be dazzled by those beauties upon your ears rather than think further on the matter of whom Sejuani is going to be celebrating with tonight. And knowing you, not even the thought of two of those sapphires becoming your earrings in the future is going to keep you in line, is it?"

"Oh, come on, Taric." Ahri chirped, putting on her best pout face at seeing where he was going with this, "Sejuani in love? I'm not allowed to pursue that? I'm not allowed to say anything about it to Wukong? We could keep it a secret. We really could if-"

"Alas, you're really something else, Ahri." Taric sighed, turning away from Ahri to address the Dark Child, "We have to leave Sejuani and Hale to themselves. No doing anything about them or we risk suffering the Winter's Wrath in the end. So, Annie?"

"Yes, Mr. Taric?"

"Keep an eye on our Nine Tailed Fox here, would you? You as well as Tibbers don't let her out of your sights all today. Got it?"

"Okay! Hear that, Tibbers? Mrs. Ahri is going to be our best friend for today. Play nice with her, alright?"

Yet, as Taric ventured away to begin working with Ingrid once more, Ahri closely observed him go. Then, when he was out of earshot, she leaned closer than close to Annie to snicker with a devious bite of her lower lip as well as shine in her eyes, "Oh, I'm going to best friends with some people today, Annie. I'm going to play nice... with Sejuani and Hale. And there's nothing you or Tibbers can do to stop me."

"Nope." Annie retorted, smiling wickedly too, "Tibbers and I won't let you."

"Try me, Dark Child. Just try me."

"Get ready, Tibbers." The Dark Child purposefully said to her teddy before holding it up into the amused Nine Tailed Fox's expression to make him do something, "Mrs. Ahri wants to play. So, give her your best growl. **GRRRRR!**"

* * *

_**End of "Wait, Say What?"...**_


End file.
